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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/29204637">Portals</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/sylveparker/pseuds/sylveparker'>sylveparker</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>IronStrange - Fandom, Marvel, Marvel Cinematic Universe, Stephen Strange - Fandom, The Avengers (Marvel Movies), The Avengers (Marvel) - All Media Types, Tony Stark - Fandom</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Avengers - Freeform, Fluff, IronStrange, M/M, Marvel - Freeform, m/m - Freeform</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2021-02-04</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2021-02-04</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-13 05:27:47</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Not Rated</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>2,400</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/29204637</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/sylveparker/pseuds/sylveparker</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Tony Stark wants to learn more about Doctor Strange's portals, what better way to learn than a demonstration from the Sorcerer Supreme himself?</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>IronStrange - Relationship, Stephen Strange/Tony Stark, Tony Stark/Stephen Strange, tony/stephen</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>4</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>33</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>Portals</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>POV: Tony Stark</p><p>“Hey, Houdini?” I call into the intercom, sipping from my mug as I spin idly in my chair. “Come down here a minute.”<br/>Seconds later, the bright orange portal appears, glowing with brilliance as Doctor Stephen Strange steps through its center.<br/>“What is it Stark?” He asks, a bored tone to his voice.<br/>I smile at him lazily as I set the mug down.<br/>“I was working on neuropartical division last night and I had a thought.” I tell him as I stand up, walking towards the multitude of screens I have suspended in my lab. “If I were to somehow find a way to split the neurons, I could—in theory—create a way to jump from one place to another without disrupting time.”<br/>He glares at me slightly.<br/>“Like portals?” He asks.<br/>I grin up at him.<br/>“Exactly.” I answer, pointing at him. “Exactly like portals.”<br/>He stands for a minute examining the screens, turning the idea over in his mind.<br/>It’s something I admire about him, he’s the smart but silent type, he doesn’t walk into my lab with a thousand theories before even taking the time to think about it like Banner does.<br/>“So, why am I here?” He asks, frowning at me slightly.<br/>I step closer, momentarily getting caught off guard by his scent.<br/>It’s calming, a mix of tea and pressed paper.<br/>I blink, clearing my head.<br/>“Uh, I wanted to see you in action.” I answer as I step back, gesturing to the empty space between us. “Make me a portal—please?”<br/>I throw him my cheesiest smile, the one I use when I want to get my way.<br/>He looks at me, his frown faltering slightly before he sighs, taking a step back.<br/>“Just the one.” He mutters, the shadow of a smile pulling at the corners of his lips.<br/>I nod, pressing record on the camera beside me. <br/>His trembling hands glow with power as he opens a portal in front of us. <br/>I step closer, peering inside.<br/>A small yellow house sits alone in a green field, a vast blue sky stretching behind it.<br/>Birds fly past as white linen sheets sway delicately on a clothesline, a tan sheepdog running playfully to catch a two small boys as they skip.<br/>As soon as the portal is open, it closes again.<br/>“What was that?” I breathe, looking up at Stephen.<br/>“My home.” He answers with a soft smile. “Or at least it was, when I was a child.”<br/>I stare up at him in awe. <br/>“Your portals can go back in time?” I ask incredulously.<br/>He laughs softly.<br/>“Not really.” He answers. “They can take you back to an altered state of what was. A ‘happy place’ of sorts. I meditate there.”<br/>His blue eyes fill with warmth as he talks about this phenomenon, making it surprisingly difficult to tear my eyes from his. <br/>“Well, thank you.” I say finally, clearing my throat as I speak. “For your help I mean.”<br/>I turn back to my computer, my heart thudding wildly in my chest as I open files absently, making myself look busy. <br/>“Sure.” He says, and as silently as he came in, he’s gone again. <br/>I shift in my chair uncomfortably, an odd feeling rising in my chest as I think about the little house in the field.<br/>“F.R.I.D.A.Y. playback.” I mutter, turning to the big screen.<br/>She pulls up the video, and I watch as his hands effortlessly form the swirling portal again and again.<br/>We’d be unstoppable if we could all do it, portaling in and out of battle, catching enemies by surprise. <br/>I spend hours flitting between the neurons in the lab and the video, trying to replicate the color, the consistency of his portal in the sparks shooting out of the neuroparticals I try to divide, with no luck whatsoever.<br/>Eventually I give up, shutting down the monitors bitterly and stomping up the stairs.<br/>The living room is mostly empty.<br/>Mantis and Peter sit together on the couch, watching some weird teenager movie as Stephan sits off in the far corner of the room.<br/>His eyes are closed as he meditates, his body entirely still.<br/>I stop in the doorway, just watching him, wondering if he’s at the little yellow house.<br/>Does he go inside, or does he sit out by the clothesline?<br/>I imagine that the sun would sparkle in the silver in his hair, standing out against the black.<br/>“Mr. Stark are you okay?” Peter asks, snapping me out of my trance.<br/>I blink, looking at him as I step into the room.<br/>“Yep.” I answer, flopping into the chair. “Tired.”<br/>I close my eyes, leaning back with a sigh, falling asleep almost instantly.<br/>Visions of fields of grass and bright blue skies fill my mind as I dream.<br/>I walk down the small path towards the yellow house, and Stephen steps out of the front door as I get close.<br/>The tan sheepdog barks cheerfully and runs up to me, jumping happily as Stephen reaches out, taking my hand in his as he leads me towards a small stream.<br/>I follow along beside him as the wind blows softly, the sun warming us gently.<br/>As we approach the small stream, Stephen’s gentle hands slide up my arms, moving to softly cup my face.<br/>He slowly leans forward; I close my eyes and—<br/>A hand on my shoulder stirs me from sleep.<br/>“…dreaming, about a stream, a yellow house.” Mantis says.<br/>I register what’s happening a moment too late, my eyes snapping open.<br/>“And him!” She exclaims, pointing at Stephen in the corner.<br/>I swat her arm away, looking over to where she was pointing. <br/>To my dismay, he’s no longer meditating, his wide blue eyes look directly at me as I flush with a deep red.<br/>I stand up, not saying anything as I storm back down into the lab, locking the door behind me.<br/>My heart thuds against my ribcage and I kick a trashcan as hard as I can as I walk around the room, sending scraps of paper flying across the floor. <br/>I rest my head against the wall, feeling the coolness of the concrete against my skin as I breathe shakily.<br/>“Tony?” Stephen says from behind me.<br/>Damn portals.<br/>Guess it didn’t matter that I locked the door.<br/>I clear my throat.<br/>“Yep.” I say gruffly, turning around to face him. <br/>He steps forward slowly. <br/>“I uh—did you want to work on the portal thing more?” He asks, scratching the back of his neck awkwardly.<br/>“Sure, yeah.” I answer, wringing my hands together as I step to turn the computers on.<br/>I reach out to press the screen, but his hand covers mine.<br/>My heart hammers erratically. <br/>“I was thinking I could show you more—hands on, I guess.” He says, his voice low.<br/>I swallow hard, nodding.<br/>He pulls me gently towards the center of the room to where he made his portal before.<br/>“Okay, just stand like this,” he says softly, moving to stand behind me, “do you mind?”<br/>I shake my head, and he moves closer, the front of his body resting against the back of mine.<br/>His hand reaches out beside me, palm facing up.<br/>“Put your hand on top of mine.” He says softly, his breath dancing along my neck.<br/>I do, softly setting the palm of my hand over his.<br/>“Watch.” He breathes.<br/>Warmth sparks under my hand as a small portal opens.<br/>I gasp softly, leaning back against him reflexively.<br/>I expect him to pull away, to close the portal and disappear from sight, but he doesn’t.<br/>He laughs softly, his other arm wrapping lightly around my waist as the portal grows in brightness.<br/>“Think of a happy place.” He murmurs as the portal grows, my hand tingling from the warmth beneath it.<br/>I close my eyes, working to think of my happiest memories.<br/>The hand around my waist pulls tighter, forming my body against his as he slides our hands forward.<br/>I open my eyes, looking into the portal.<br/>It’s the lab, my happiest memories have always been when I’m building something.<br/>But this memory is specific.<br/>Peter is there, working at my bench with a smile as his foot taps to the AC/DC music blasting through the speakers. <br/>He looks up at me with a smile as he shows me the project he’s working on, a new protective cover for my arc reactor, engraved with his handwriting.<br/>It’s the one I have on it currently; I wear it all the time. <br/>“This is your happiest memory?” Stephen asks softly as he looks into the portal too. <br/>I nod, suddenly protective of the memory.<br/>“It was the first Father’s Day that I had Peter living here.” I answer, still watching as he smiles up at me proudly as he presents the silver circle to me.<br/>The portal slowly closes, the heat in my hand dissipating with the light.<br/>Neither Stephen nor I move, my hand still resting gently on his as his arm still holds tightly around my waist.<br/>“Thank you.” I say quietly, my breathing shallow.<br/>I feel him nod, his nose brushing against my neck with the motion, causing me to shiver slightly.<br/>“Tony, can I ask you something?” He asks.<br/>I nod this time.<br/>“What was your dream about?” He asks, his voice low and gentle.<br/>I swallow hard, my heart beginning to race. <br/>“Your portal earlier.” I answer, my voice coming out as a whisper.<br/>The warm burn in my hand sparks up again as the orange glowing portal burns to life in front of us again, opening to the yellow house.<br/>Stephen lets go of my waist, stepping to the side of me while keeping the portal open. <br/>“Will you show me?” He asks, reaching his hand out to me.<br/>I nod, taking it as he pulls me into the portal.<br/>Immediately, it feels like my dream. <br/>The sun warms my skin as the sweet smell of the grass swirls up around us.<br/>To my surprise, there is a stream nearby.<br/>And to my further surprise, Stephen’s hand hasn’t left mine. <br/>“Now what?” He asks playfully.<br/>I look up at him, and he smiles down at me. <br/>“I uh—the stream.” I stammer, gesturing towards the stripe of blue that breaks up the acres of green.<br/>He squeezes my hand as he takes a step forward, pulling me beside him down the narrow path.<br/>I watch as the sun sparkles in his hair, sending glistening specs of silver around his face as he walks.<br/>He stops in front of the stream, and I stand beside him.<br/>“And now?” He asks softly.<br/>I take a deep breath, stepping around to the front of him.<br/>He looks down at me, his blue eyes soft and inviting.<br/>His hands wrap softly around my waist as he pulls me closer, <br/>“Something like this.” I breathe as my fingers lace behind his head.<br/>His lips meet mine, warm and gentle as he kisses me.<br/>I pull him closer as the passion builds between us, and he pulls me closer too.<br/>After a while, we break away, his forehead resting against mine softly.<br/>“How is this possible?” I breathe. “Didn’t you say it wasn’t a real place?”<br/>He laughs gently, his hands rubbing against my back.<br/>“Well—we’re technically astral projecting.” He answers with a light smile. “Our physical bodies are still in your lab.”<br/>I look up at him in awe. <br/>“You’re amazing.” I breathe, stretching up to kiss him again.<br/>He laughs softly against my lips as he pulls me closer. <br/>“Ready to go back?” He asks after a few moments.<br/>I nod, wrapping my arms around his waist as I rest my head on his chest.<br/>His arm wraps around my shoulders as we turn to walk towards the little yellow house again. <br/>Stephen walks to the front door of the house and opens it, pulling us through the doorway.<br/>I blink, and suddenly we’re back in the lab, my hand resting on his open palm as the portal in front of us disappears. <br/>The front of his body is still pressed against the back of mine, his hand still wrapped around my waist.<br/>I turn around, looking up at him with wide eyes.<br/>“Are you okay?” He asks, his voice tinged in concern.<br/>I spring onto my toes, wrapping my arms around his head as I kiss him.<br/>He chuckles, kissing me back as his arms wrap around me.<br/>“I gotta hand it to you Dumbledore,” I say playfully as I pull away, “you’re pretty cool.”<br/>He laughs outright as he rests his cheek on the top of my head.<br/>“’Pretty cool’, huh?” He asks. “I think that’s one of the most genuine compliments I’ve ever heard you give someone.”<br/>I laugh too, breathing in that calming tea scent he brings.<br/>“I could think of a few other words to describe you but… not in the company of robots.” I answer, my cheeks flushing with heat as I hide my face in his shirt.<br/>“Oh?” He asks, his lips brushing against my hair. “How about somewhere a little more—”<br/>The room around us blurs into an orange glow as he opens a portal around us.<br/>“Private?” He finishes as the orange disappears.<br/>I look around, he brought us to the roof.<br/>“Perfect.” I say quietly, smiling up at him. “And the roof isn’t half bad either.”<br/>He rolls his eyes at my terrible hit, but his cheeks blush with a soft pink anyway. <br/>We sit on the roof and look up at the stars, talking and kissing playfully, his arm wrapped around me as I lean against him.<br/>After a few hours, the door opens.<br/>“Mr. Stark?” Peter asks as he steps out onto the roof. “Mr. Doctor Strange?”<br/>I lean forward, waving him over to us and patting the floor beside me.<br/>He runs over with a smile, flopping down beside me.<br/>“F.R.I.D.A.Y. said you were up here.” He says. “Hey, did you know you can see the Big Dipper the clearest this time of year?”<br/>He starts pointing out different constellations to us as I lean back over to Stephen’s shoulder, absolutely content for the first time in a long time.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Thanks for reading! Leave a comment! :)</p></blockquote></div></div>
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